The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1887-03-19
incident. nm the Life OF Mrs. manter.


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incidents I'm the Life or Mrs. Hunter.
A few days ago the death Of Mrs.
Gen Hunter, at Washington, was an
nounced.
The deceased was the daughter OF
John Kinzie, the Indian trader who
carried on his business at Chicago when
the house he lived in was the only one
outside the garrison of the first Fort
Dearborn.
Maria |. Kinzie, daughter OF John
and Eleanor, was born in the Kinzic
house in 1907, three years after the
birth of her sister, Ellen Marion, who
was the first white child born in Chi
cago. She married Lieut.. David HUI
ter, who subsequently became general,
when he was stationed at Fort Dear
born, and accompanied him in 1881 to
Green Bay.
Writing of this event under date of
May "a, 1879, Gen. Hunter, said:
"More than half a century since l
first came TO Chicago on horseback
from st. Louis, stopping on the way at
log cabin of the early settlers and
passing the last house at the mouth of
the Fox river. l was married In Chi
cago, having TO send soldier on foot
TO Peoria for license. The northern
counties in the state had not then
been organized and were all attached
TO Peoria county. My dear wife Is
still alive and in good health, and can
certify hundred times over that Chi
cago is first-rate place from which to
get good wife,"
The Kinzie house was perhaps the
first pretentious dwelling put up in
Chicago. IL was long, low building,
with piazza extending along its front,
a range of four or five rooms. A broad,
green space was inclosed between II
and the river and shaded by row Of
Lombardy poplars. 1t was in this spot
that little Maria passed her early child
hood, She was years old when, April,
1912, the jewellers at Lees place were
murdered by the Indians, and IL was in
the following August that the Indians
massacred the garrison at Fort Dear
born. Mr.. Kinzie, who was then
known as "the Indians friend" and
has been called in later years "the
father of Chicago" moved his family
TO the fort for protection at the time
of the Indian outrage in April, and
was living there when 1t was eyacu-
ated.
The little family were turned over to
the care of two friendly Indians, who
were TO convey them in boat To Ber-
trand. on the st. Joseph river, while
Mr.. Kinzie left the fort with the garri-
son. About two-thirds of the garrison
were slaughtered; then the massacre
was stayed by the surrender of the
Survivors, with the stipulation that
their lives should be spared and they
should be delivered at some British
port. Meanwhile the boat containing
the children had only reached the
mouth of the river, where messenger
from Mr.. Kinzie was In waiting for
them with orders not TO proceed farther
on the journey. With the other pris-
oners they were removed TO Detroit
and turned over to the British military
authorities as prisoners of war. III
was while living in Detroit that little
Maria Kinzie first attended school.
She was educated at that place and at
Middletown, Conn, and In 1916 re-
turned with her parents TO Chicago.
Their old home was desolated. The
bones OF the murdered soldiers who
had fallen four years before were still
unburied. IL was among such scenes
that the future bride OF the young
army officer was raised. She grew 70
be a beautiful girl. She was II years
old when Lieut.. Hunter met her.
In October, 1928, five years after the
garrison OF old Fort Dearborn had
been moved westward TO the Missis-
sippi, another garrison was stationed al
Chicago, under the command OF Maj
John Fowle and Lieut.. David Hunter
That was five years after the marriage
Of her sister. Ellen Marion Kinzie, "a
DR.. Alexander Walcott. That was the
first marriage solemnized in Chicago
and the bride was the first white child
born there. BY many Mrs. Gen. Hun
ter was thought 20 have been the frs
white child born in Chicago, but they
have COMPOUNDED her with her sister
Ellen, who was born In 1904, three
years before the date of Mrs. Hunters
birth.
General George Crook, the Indiar